Plantronics was proud to present its BackBeat Go Bluetooth in-ear headphones last year, but it's also aware improvements are always welcome. To that end, the company's ready to show off its second iteration: BackBeat Go 2. P2i moisture resistance and reworked internals for improved sound back up the sporty wire-behind-the-ear design and fit stabilizers -- look out, Jaybird. Not only does the hardware remember up to eight devices, but a DeepSleep mode shuts it down if you walk out of range without turning the power off, allowing it to sleep for up to six months. The internal batteries squeeze out about 4.5 hours of playtime for music, and an optional SKU with a microUSB charging case can provide about two and a half refills. As you'd expect, an inline remote keeps you in control of your playlists and calls, while DSP enhances incoming and outgoing sound. Ears perked? The headphones will be available starting today at various retailers in your choice of black or white priced at $80 for the headphones and $100 with the charging case. Gallery-194378

After Samsung's latest product push in London, we have nothing short of a Galaxy S 4 franchise on our hands. While the company unveiled its expected Mini version along with a photography-focused variant, it also took a step in the rugged-device direction by announcing the Galaxy S4 Active. With IP67 water and dust protection, the phone promises to see you through 30 minutes of aquatic activity at a time. Ruggedness aside, though, this device is quite similar to the GS4, albeit in a slightly heftier -- and arguably more attractive -- package. We spent some quality time with Galaxy S4 Active on AT&T, which retails for the same $199.99 as the original S 4. So is this a better pick? You know where to find out. Gallery-192692

Those of us picking budget smartphones in the US seldom have the choice of a toughened smartphone, and it's even more of a challenge when we're not signed on to one of the top four carriers. US Cellular is offering the cost-conscious a (hardened) olive branch by shipping the Alcatel One Touch Shockwave. Skip past the creaky Android 2.3, 800MHz processor, 3.2-megapixel camera and 3.5-inch, 480 x 320 display -- a shock- and water-resistant shell as well as Dragontrail-based glass should keep the smartphone working through most forms of casual abuse. We also don't mind having preloaded Amazon Appstore and media apps, although the frugal 2GB microSD card in the box won't leave much room for any downloading. We'd at least keep the Shockwave on the short list when the $50 price and long-lasting design will leave ample funds for just about everything else.

We were intrigued by Sony's Xperia V back at IFA, but deals with specific carriers haven't been very forthcoming. Japan's KDDI is covering that gap by pledging to carry Sony's mid-size Android 4.0 phone as the Xperia VL. Everything we know and (mostly) love about the dust- and water-resistant phone is intact, including that thin sensor-on-lens 720p display, the 13-megapixel camera, the 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4, NFC and LTE-based 4G. The one question remaining is a definitive release date: Sony will only promise an Xperia VL launch before the end of the year, although there's talk at Impress Watch of a release on November 2nd for ¥30,000 ($381) after carrier discounts. Let's hope for the company's sake that other carriers sign up for the V and VL sooner rather than later.

Waterproof smartphones and cameras are pretty much commonplace these days, but what about accessories to accompany these aquatic electronics? Enter the ECOXBT from ECOXGEAR. Priced at $130 this IPX7 approved, rugged, floating bluetooth speaker box can not only withstand 30 minutes under a meter of water -- it also makes the claim of having 10 hours of battery life. In addition to keeping your favorite playlists dry, the ECOXBT doubles as a speakerphone for those oh so important floating phone calls from the deep end of the pool. So, whether you're on spring break splashing water on a boat or on vacation swimming around a Lonely Island, this water-resistant sound machine ought to go perfect with this thing.

Fujitsu's Stylistic M532 has had a protracted development process that saw it appear on our radar as early as January; imagine our surprise after it ships to the US with barely more than a knock on the door. Now that it's here, it looks to be on the sunnier side of average for an Android 4.0 slate. A quad 1.4GHz Tegra 3, a 1,280 x 800 display and 32GB of built-in space won't rock our world in mid-2012, but the rough-and-ready among us will likely appreciate the military-spec abuse tolerances and a year-long subscription to Absolute CompuTrace theft tracking, just in case it's pilfered from an open bag. Fujitsu's obstacles? Apart from not having much of a cachet in the tablet arena, the company also has to convince buyers that the extra safeguards are worth a $549 price -- for those who treat their tablets more delicately, there are a fewtemptingalternatives.

It sounds like it's not just us that spend half our sweet time with lint-free cloth in hand. Researchers at MIT have developed a new type of glass that "virtually eliminates" reflections, and is also water-repellent. By using techniques from the semiconductor industry, conical nano-textures etched into the layered surface that give the wonder-glass its fog, glare and self-cleaning properties. The hope is that the technology will find its way into our many daily screens and even windows. It's not all about gadget vanity though; solar panels lose efficiency over time through residual surface build up, and using the new glass could go some way to eliminate that issue. If they can just remember where they put the ultra-clear test sample that is.

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Sun, 29 Apr 2012 07:14:00 -040021|20226429http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/14/sony-outs-water-resistant-walkman-nwz-w260-is-about-to-launch-n/%3Futm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%26ncid%3Drss_semi
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As far as unusual designs go, Sony's been having one productive week. First the tablet team showed off the funky S1 (and funkier S2) and today Walkman's managed to grab our attention. The outfit just announced the NWZ-W260 series, a music player baked directly into a pair of lightweight headphones -- all told, a bolder setup than this. In case it wasn't already obvious, Sony has its eyes set on the sweaty, gym-going type, and to sweeten the deal it's coated the player in a water-resistant finish. It's rated for up to eight hours of battery life, and also packs a quick charging technology that would allow you to rebound to an hour's capacity after just three minutes. The included software, meanwhile, allows you to drag and drop tracks from Windows Media Player and iTunes for Windows -- so long as they're not DRM-protected, 'o course. It'll go on sale next month, with a 2GB version (the NWZ-W262) fetching $59.99 and a 4GB number (NWZ-W263) going for $79.99.

Meanwhile, it's clear Sony's got some more players coming at the higher end of its lineup. The company just pushed four A860 series Walkmans through the FCC, with capacities ranging from 8GB to 64GB -- a new high for Sony. CNET has also been chatting up sources who say the player will have a large OLED screen, noise-canceling technology, and Bluetooth 2.0. Meanwhile, FCC documents also show Sony is prepping a pair of S760 series players with either 8GB or 16GB of storage, an LCD screen for video playback, and Bluetooth. As CNET notes, Amazon jumped the gun and listed them in Europe with converted prices of $225 to $494 for the A series and $182 to $211 for the S series. How much will they actually cost once they arrive stateside? Looks like we'll find out soon.

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Thu, 14 Jul 2011 09:41:00 -040021|19991132http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/27/cadences-4-bit-chrono-watch-lets-you-do-business-disguises-you/%3Futm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%26ncid%3Drss_semi
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Glance above and you'll notice a normal, elegant chronograph watch, correct? Not exactly... See, that jet-black dial is rocking 4-bit binary hour-bars in place of numbers, and looking very geek-chic doing so. Announced today, Cadence's 4-Bit Chronograph Watch is the chrono revision of its $80 4-Bit Watch, sporting a larger casing, darker dial, greater water resistance, and most notably, a UTC display to help you stay on schedule while globetrotting. The luminescent hands -- perfect for late-night hacking -- are kept in motion by an automatic Miyota quartz movement wedged inside of a 42mm stainless steel case, which is rated water-resistant to five atmospheres (165 feet). The watch is further protected by a sapphire-coated glass crystal, and topped off with a black leather band to keep things extra classy. When the 4-Bit Chrono ships come July, getting one around your wrist will set you back $195, but slyly wearing your geek cred is only $119 if you reserve one now -- a full press release is after the break to help you decide.

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Fri, 27 May 2011 02:02:00 -040021|19951120http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/11/lenovo-thinkpad-x1-coming-may-17th-with-gorilla-glass-screen-an/%3Futm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%26ncid%3Drss_semi
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Man, Lenovo isn't even trying to keep the ThinkPad X1 under wraps anymore. The slinky new MacBook Air competitor has just slipped out in a video commercial on the company's own YouTube channel, where it shows off a keyboard that's both backlit and spill-resistant, and a Gorilla Glass screen that is apparently girlfriend-proof. See the video after the break and circle May 17th as your acquisition date if you're after one -- that's when Lenovo promises the X1 will be arriving.

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Wed, 11 May 2011 10:08:00 -040021|19937529http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/05/sanyos-vpc-ca102yl-waterproof-pocket-hd-camcorder-your-perfect/%3Futm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%26ncid%3Drss_semi
http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/05/sanyos-vpc-ca102yl-waterproof-pocket-hd-camcorder-your-perfect/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/05/sanyos-vpc-ca102yl-waterproof-pocket-hd-camcorder-your-perfect/%3Futm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%23commentsSanyo isn't breaking out the hyperbole with this water-resistant full HD pocket camcorder -- that honor went to the DMX-CA100 back in May -- but the VPC-CA102YL does boast a spec sheet as impressive as its product name. We've got 1920 x 1080 / 60i video in MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 format, 14 megapixel stills, an articulating 2.7-inch wide LCD, 12x dual range zoom on video, and 5x optical zoom on photos... and did we mention it's waterproof up to 10 feet under? Connectivity options include USB, mini HDMI for TV sets, and a SDXC card slot. Due out this month -- perfect for capturing the very last bit of Summer -- for a penny under $350. Product shots below, press release after the break. (P.S. -- 10 feet to the bottom of the ocean? Bizarro!) Gallery-98922

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Thu, 05 Aug 2010 16:40:00 -040021|19582833http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/12/sony-walkman-w252-gets-a-limited-edition-mgs-makeover/%3Futm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%26ncid%3Drss_semi
http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/12/sony-walkman-w252-gets-a-limited-edition-mgs-makeover/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/12/sony-walkman-w252-gets-a-limited-edition-mgs-makeover/%3Futm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%23commentsMetal Gear Solid: Peace Walker is coming out for the PSP soon, and in classic Sony style, we're being treated to a custom-painted W252 Walkman to celebrate the event. This wearable MP3 player can fit 2GB of your favorite stealth action theme music, and gets the party started with six preloaded tunes from the Peace Walker soundtrack. Beyond that, you're getting that gorgeous camo outfit and the same water-resistant durability as the less Limited W250 models. Full PR and one more pic after the break.

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Wed, 12 May 2010 12:43:00 -040021|19474125http://www.engadget.com/2006/07/24/sigma-a-p-o-releasing-another-spill-proof-keyboard/%3Futm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%26ncid%3Drss_semi
http://www.engadget.com/2006/07/24/sigma-a-p-o-releasing-another-spill-proof-keyboard/http://www.engadget.com/2006/07/24/sigma-a-p-o-releasing-another-spill-proof-keyboard/%3Futm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%23comments
Now that we know how to clean our water-damaged electronics, we're not quite as concerned with spill-proof keyboards as we used to be, but that isn't stopping manufacturers from releasing new products targeted at clumsy drinkers. Following the model from Lenovo we spotted awhile back (along with past offerings from IBM and Logitech) comes Japanese manufacturer Sigma A.P.O.'s hole-filled keyboard known as the WRKB108, available in white, black, or silver -- but only with a Japanese character set. Besides channeling the occasional spilled coffee through the board and onto your lap, this model also sports a special UV paint that's said to make it stronger and more dirt-repellent, although its five million keystroke rating doesn't sound all that impressive to us. Luckily Sigma's only charging $25 for this miracle of modern design, so even if it craps out after a few months, you're not much worse off than you started. [Warning: PDF link]